Question

Posted by: trudi ludlow | 2010/05/20

rugby training diet

My son is almost 16, he is 5 ft 11 and weights 11 stone 12. He has training at the moment with East Midlands and plays for various clubs. He weights trains, bike rides and runs. He is very strong and is getting taller but needs to bulk out, at the moment his diet is: breakfast chicken, beans, toast, snack progain, lunch 2 x chicken salad sarnies (4 bread), piece of chicke, banana, apple, nutrigrain bar, snack bowl of cereals, dinner chicken and pasta of spag bol or meat and veg, yoghurt, snack jaffa cakes of mars bar or cereal bar. he needs to bulk up and I need some advice on whether he is eating the correct diet - please help

Our expert says:

Dear Trudi
Goodness, I hope I get the conversion from stone to kgs right! We have not used this measure of weight in SA for about 50 years! I think your son weighs 71,2 kg, which would mean that he has a BMI of 22, which is well within the normal range but can be increased a bit for rugby players. Because your son is only 16 years old, it is important that he should have sufficient calcium in his diet to ensure that he develops strong bones for the rest of his life. You need to add 4 servings of milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese or other cheeses to his diet to supply him with the 1200 mg of calcium he needs every day. Dairy foods are also rich in high quality protein and B vitamins. If you live outside SA then I would recommend that you contact your nearest dietitian who specialises in sports nutrition to have your son and his diet assessed. Sports clinics also often have a dietitian available. In the meanwhile read more about diets for sportsmen and women, by clicking on 'DietnFood' at the top of this page and then on 'DietDoc's articles' and read articles 4, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 46.
Wishing your son all the best for his future rugby career.
Best regards
DietDoc

The information provided does not constitute a diagnosis of your condition. You should consult a medical practitioner or other appropriate health care professional for a physical exmanication, diagnosis and formal
advice. Health24 and the expert accept no responsibility or liability for any damage or personal harm you may suffer resulting from making use of this content.

Our users say:

Posted by: DietDoc | 2010/05/21

Dear Trudi
Goodness, I hope I get the conversion from stone to kgs right! We have not used this measure of weight in SA for about 50 years! I think your son weighs 71,2 kg, which would mean that he has a BMI of 22, which is well within the normal range but can be increased a bit for rugby players. Because your son is only 16 years old, it is important that he should have sufficient calcium in his diet to ensure that he develops strong bones for the rest of his life. You need to add 4 servings of milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese or other cheeses to his diet to supply him with the 1200 mg of calcium he needs every day. Dairy foods are also rich in high quality protein and B vitamins. If you live outside SA then I would recommend that you contact your nearest dietitian who specialises in sports nutrition to have your son and his diet assessed. Sports clinics also often have a dietitian available. In the meanwhile read more about diets for sportsmen and women, by clicking on 'DietnFood' at the top of this page and then on 'DietDoc's articles' and read articles 4, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 46.
Wishing your son all the best for his future rugby career.
Best regards
DietDoc

Health24 is South Africa's premier health information website

Get a daily health tip

Subscribe and you could win R 1 000!

* Please enter a valid email address to continue.

Stay in touch

The information on Health24 is for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms or need health advice, please consult a healthcare professional. See additional information.